That was Receptional!

— 30th April 2014 —

I'm overwhelmed. When you first perform a new work for an audience you discover what it is.

Thank you to everybody who came to opening night of Reception: The Musical at The Butterfly Club. Your laughter, your cheers, your bubbly chatter in the foyer, your hugs, your sore and smiley cheeks, your kind words, your post-it notes on the memo board... I couldn't have hoped for more.

Much love from this very happy little receptionist!

Cast Recording

— 16th April 2014 —

OK. So, we're not at the official 'cast recording' stage yet. But the cast of Reception: The Musical (Peter de Jager and myself) were in the studio at 3MBS to record a few tracks for promotional purposes this week.

A big thank you to 3MBS for their support. Keep an ear out for a laughter-free version of My Name is Bethany on the airwaves this weekend!

Bringing the front desk to life

— 14th April 2014 —

Solid rehearsals for Reception: The Musical have commenced! I'm so blessed to have such a wonderful team around me.

One of those team members is choreographer Joseph Simons (my brother, not my husband, thanks for asking). Last week, Joseph just got off the plane from New York where he debuted his own solo show First Things First and came straight into the rehearsal room for my little show.

For those of you who don't know Joseph's work, I highly recommend you rectify the situation by clicking here. Joe's energy and ideas have been invaluable in the space. After years of thinking and talking about this show it's fantastic to be on stage in front of a red curtain bringing the world of administration to life.

Happy as Larry

— 13th April 2014 —

World-renowned acting coach, Larry Moss returned to Australia to deliver a series of masterclasses in Sydney and Melbourne. Presented by 16th Street Actors Studio, these sessions are designed to inspire actors to achieve their true potential - no matter their level of experience. Some of the biggest names from Australian stage and screen sit amongst the auditing crowd every year.

I loved my first taste of Larry's directing style in 2013, and was thrilled to be able to audit with friends and family this year. Saves me trying to explain it all. Though, I gave it a shot for Aussie Theatre:

A single day of auditing will stretch, challenge, excite and inspire you as never before. Wake up! A day with Larry requires focus. It can be hard work, but isn’t that what every actor craves? As Larry says, “Work smart and work hard. Do more than you ever thought you could. I’ll die laughing because I worked hard”. Indeed. May we all endeavour to be as happy as Larry.

DreamSong - A new australian musical

— 11th April 2014 —

Recently, I was granted access to the rehearsal room for DreamSong - a new Australian musical written by Hugo Chiarella and Robert Tripolino. After extensive development periods, the show is now playing at Theatreworks as part of the Melbourne Comedy Festival.

Here's the premise: After suffering a massive hit from the Global Financial Crisis, fictional mega church, DreamSong, decides to stage the return of Christ, marketing him as a Christian pop star. But then the real Jesus turns up...

It's clever. It's topical. The songs are catchy. The real Jesus is hilarious. And it's Easter. What more do you need?